The
Team:The Bears have to get some help on the O-line. "This is what you're looking for in an offensive lineman," Pace said.
"He's smart. He's tough. He's instinctive. He loves the weight room. Those are all things that I like. He's a good player that we're excited to have, a versatile player." Plus, they
were able to pick up some extra picks and get the guy they targeted all
along.

He will be the starting OLG
from day one. "Cody Whitehair is a guy we really liked throughout the whole process," said general manager Ryan Pace. "He's a four-year starter. He's played multiple positions. We see him as a guard. [But] he played some tackle and I think he can play center too."
I don't know about Center?

He was a top OLT pass
blocker, but he had 32" arms.
"We were able to acquire more picks tonight, which I think was huge for us," Pace said. "There are a lot of good players in the draft
[on Day One and Two], and now we've got a lot of swings at those players. I know our scouts and coaches are fired up to have that ammunition."
He makes the Bears better from day one.

He is a plug
play OLG in the NFL.
"He's an aggressive player," Pace said. "He's really good in space. He plays with great inside hand placement and he's got strong hands. I love offensive linemen with strong inside hands. When they latch on you can't get rid of him. He's a very difficult player to shed once he gets his hands on your chest."
He ends rushes with his hands.
They felt it was time to rebuild the offensive line. "These guys are all versatile," Pace said. "They're all smart and they can all play different positions.
[OL coach Magazu] is going to have his hands full kind of sorting this out. But we promised him we'd load up with some talent and we've done that. The offensive line is going to be improved."
Cutler thanks them.

The
Player: He had to move to OLT do to injury.
"I am fortunate enough to be playing left tackle," Whitehair said.
"It has been a hard transition. It really has. I am not the tallest guy, by any means. I don't have the longest arms, by any means. But I feel like the guys on the team really trust me, and that gives me confidence."
He gets to the second level and grabs the linebacker, and he cannot move. Great strong hands to grab shirt.

He might have the best hands of any O-linemen in this Draft. When he grabs shirt they stick.
"That is one of the reasons we have a lot of guys like Cody play a lot of different positions,"
Kansas State HC
Bill Snyder said. "We are normally seven or eight deep on the offensive line, so you need guys who can play multiple positions. It’s a matter of necessity."
He doesn't have that versatility in the NFL. He will be an OLG.
When he shoves guys they go done to the ground, or bounce back like they just got hit by a
cannonball. "How do we get the best five [OLs] on the football field?"
Bill Snyder said. "Is he a better player as a guard than he is as a tackle? I’m not sure that is totally accurate. You could build a case for it, but it all goes back to getting the best five on the
field." He was a top five blocker in the FBS as well.

His experience pass blocking at OLT is a huge plus for him in the NFL.
"I try and use my speed and my footwork to really help me out," Whitehair said, “and maybe be more physical with those guys who don’t like to be as physical. But you also have to keep in mind those guys might be a little faster than you going from guard to tackle. You have to keep your poise and have a two-dimensional
approach. I gave up a couple sacks. I wish I could have those back, but I feel more confident now, since I have a full season under my belt at left tackle."
He just kept getting better.

Whitehair plays with such great balance. He moves
so smoothly and naturally. Nice hitter moving straight forward. "I'm comfortable at any of those positions," Whitehair said. "I'm a team player and wherever the team needs me to play, I can make the transition and play up to the level I need to play at."
Nice quick kickslide on right side. He can
play on the right side. Nice feet in mirror drill.

Plays with elite
hand strength and body torque. "I threw a lot of hay bales," Whitehair
said. "Once I went to college I didn't quite get to do it as much, but when I was in high school I was always out there at six in the morning. If we had a truck driver coming in at 11 o'clock at night, I had to be that guy to help out. I just like to be on a farm. I like the outdoors and I like to work hard. It's just what I am, it's who I am and what I like to do."
He only
did 16 Reps, which is terrible. But he plays with the strength of a
country boy who tossed hay bails his whole life.

Kansas:
He throws defenders to the ground more consistently than any other O-linemen in this Draft. He is so good at shadowing rushers outside, that he will follow them when they give up and drop. Nice smooth feet shuffling outside on the move block in pass pro.
Excellent Zone blocker. He turns and seals with his arms extended so effortlessly. Level of competition has a lot to do with it, but he is the best pure blocker I have seen this year. Slides outside laterally to the second level to seal the OLB, and can beat him to the spot, moving sideways.
He is so smooth blocking down on the DT, and then sliding into the ILB. And once he grabs
the linebacker he is done. Awesome power on short yardage. He went down in a
4-point stance on 3rd and inches and dived forward a foot off the ground, and drove
the DT back three or four yards past the 1st down marker. That might have been the best block I've seen this season.
2 for 2 on the Two, slamming the D-end into the endzone.

Stanford: I love how he grabs guys, and then torques them to the ground with a vicious twist block with his inside hand. He can grab a guy and seal
him. If the DE fights to his outside shoulder in pursuit, he use that torque block to toss him to the
ground. Nice job blocking on the move. He can stick his hands inside the OLB chest and just toss him to the ground. When he blocks down on short
yardage, he can punch the D-linemen to the ground. Plays with elite hip torque. Since his move to OLT, he plays almost every down in a two-point stance.

2015:
Started all 13 games at left tackle en route to First Team All-Big 12 honors, the first first-team honor of his career... Helped K-State rank second nationally in red zone offense (94.5-percent) and 18th in passing yards per completion (14.12)... Also helped the Wildcats rush for 29 touchdowns, which was just one shy of entering the school’s top-10 list... Blocked for six rushing touchdowns against TCU, which was tied for the fourth most in school history... Named a team captain... Earned First Team Academic All-Big 12
honors.Outlook: A strong lineman who is regarded as one of the best
and most versatile offensive linemen in the Big 12... Has started 38 of
his 39 career games... Voted a team captain for the 2015 Preseason:
Earned 2015 Preseason All-America honors from Athlon, while all the major
preseason magazines placed him on their All-Big 12 teams... Lindy’s also
named him the eighth-best offensive tackle in the nation entering
2015. 2014: Started every game at left tackle en route to Second Team All-Big 12 honors from both the league’s coaches and the Associated Press... Also a member of the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award watch lists... Helped K-State tally 30 rushing touchdowns – the 10th most in school history – while the Wildcat offense ranked in the top 25 nationally in nine categories, including top-20 marks in team passing efficiency (11th), red zone offense (14th) and passing offense
(16th).

The
Reason: They cut Matt Slausen, their starter from last season.
"I was very happy when we were able to go back and still get the guys that we want and still get these additional
picks," Pace said. "The draft’s deep. There are a lot of guys that we've still got good grades on, and that’s why it’s so exciting. This late at night, I’ve never walked out of a draft room with scouts more excited because of what we can do with those additional picks now. Everyone’s fired
up and that makes me feel good, because I have a lot of confidence in them."
They had to get help inside.

It is always good to have extra picks.
"That really didn't affect us," Pace said. "We had a lot of names there that we liked. So when our pick is approaching and we're realizing there are a lot of guys here that we like, this is a chance for us to go back knowing we've got enough names to still get a good player and pick up some picks. That's why we did it."
They filled a big need with this pick.

The
Team: Davis is one of the true freaks pf the Draft.
"We selected Sean Davis in the second round," Steelers DB coach Carnell Lake
said. "He is a defensive back from Maryland. He is a really productive player at two positions: safety and corner. He has been really productive in the tackling department. He has a good eye for playing the ball in the passing game. We really look forward to having him in the building. He is going to provide us with a lot of versatility and depth at a needed position, which is a safety for us. That’s where we plan to play him. I think he will do an outstanding job there."
I liked him as a big strong Corner, but a cover safety is just as important.

He has as
much pure physical and athletic upside as anyone in this Draft. "You want to have someone with exceptional skills if you can get
them," Lake said. "Especially when it all comes together it is very easy for those guys to make plays, the physical tools to get it done. Not only that, Sean is a very intelligent individual. He made calls at the safety position at Maryland. For him, not only corner, but also safety at Maryland, says a lot about his intelligence. Not only that, as a footnote, he speaks three languages. So I am not worried about his ability to adapt to our playbook."
Played multiple positions at Maryland, and never struggled with the mental
side.

I actually
like his coverage skills on Tape. "His coverage skills, in my opinion, are very
good," Lake said. "He has a lot of experience covering slots and tight ends at safety, but he also played a year at corner which gives him even more experience. You take a player like that who last year played corner who is going to come in and play safety. The game will slow down quite a bit for him inside. It will be lot easier for him to cover. It’s an added bonus for him to have experience in playing both positions in college."
Great quick thinker, and has great reaction instincts.

I saw him as
a Corner, but they will play him at Safety. "Well I think in our system he will be required to play both strong safety and free
safety," Lake said. "Right now, primarily we will try and plug him in strong safety. Mike Mitchell is primarily our free safety. That is where we will start. I’m assuming he will wind up playing both positions at some point"
One of the quickest reacting players I've seen on Tape.

He is a
terrific run defender, but he also has the physical traits to be a great off
corner. "Our needs require us for him to play safety," Lake
said. "He was a defensive back in college. He has 300 tackles. That puts him atop all of the guys we looked at the position. He’s got very good experience at tackling. He’s a good tackler. He provides good coverage skills. He can make good plays at the ball. That is one area that we had to adjust. He’s the guy that is going to fit the deal for us."
They will fit him in a safety, which almost makes me sad. I would have
liked to seen him play some big Corner in the NFL.

In today's
NFL you have to have Safeties who can cover like Corners, much more than Corners
who can play like a FS. "When you have offenses that spread you out, a lot of offensives do that, 70-percent of the snaps now are passing plays on the
league," Lake said. "When they spread you, offenses are spreading you out to create mismatches. They will put a player like
Gronkowski out wide and force you to matchup with either a linebacker or a safety on Gronkowski. Well you have to have a guy that has the size and can cover. He provides that coverage for us. That’s one of the exciting parts of Sean Davis that we like."
He can cover tight ends as well as any Safety in this Draft.
Now, like all rookies, he has to learn what it is to be an NFL player.
"That’s just a process I believe," Lake said. "That’s just a part of bringing younger players in. They have to develop. You have to give them time. You have to be patient sometimes to let them get a foothold and get some confidence within themselves in the scheme. I know the NFL now is a “get it done, be productive now or move on” mentality. For a younger player coming in, there’s no better place, no better city and no better team to play for than the Steelers. That’s one of the reasons the Steelers have been successful for a long time. It’s because they have an understanding of football, they’re patient with their players and they make good selections."
Draft and develop, that is the NFL as it has always been.

The
Player: Davis is a big Corner who got some freak numbers
next to his name at
the Combine. He played mostly safety at Maryland. But he worked out like a
corner at the Combine. He covers like a CB, and hits like a SS. "I think because of Maryland’s needs, they had to move him around to try to plug holes for their
defense," Lake said. "He was willing and capable of doing that. I think just for him to settle down in one position will give him a chance to really hone in and develop skills at a particular position. For us, that will be safety."
He is a
big CB that teams need. He played CB in 2015. Most teams see him as a Safety.
I think he could be one hell of a CB or Safety. He has great quick feet,
but can look a little stiff sometimes. He hits like a concrete truck. Very
productive player. He garnered 88 Tackles last season as a CB, to go along
with 5 FF and 3 INTs.

He produced
for three seasons. He played Safety in 2013 and 2014 where he garnered
over 100 tackles both seasons. He also played safety as a true Freshman in
2012, but only earned two starts at FS. "One of the things that was impressive to me about Sean Davis was when the ball broke loose, he made a lot of
tackles," Lake said. "Three hundred tackles in college is a lot of tackles. There are maybe only a few more people that had more tackles than he did. Two of them were safeties. When you think about that, there is no other DB coming out of college football right now that has had as many tackles as Sean Davis has had."
When no one lines up on his side
he will play like a Safety, and can charge into the hole from the Flat as
fast as anyone I've see. When he hits big RBs low, they go sideways.

When
he gets too high, he can lose a little balance and his pedal can get a
little choppy. Smart kid who reads run as quick as anyone. "We watch their
film," Lake said. "We want to get an idea of what defenses they played, what their responsibilities were within the defense. From that we can determine their football intelligence and get some comfort level with their base understanding of football."
He can line up outside, see the RB get the ball, and then
goes across the field and hit him quicker, faster, and with more thump than any
CB I have ever seen. He looks like if he plays CB in the NFL he will have
to be on a team that plays Off. He looks like he could play a Josh Norman
role.

Michigan:
He started off playing Off. He only came out of Off when Michigan had a
tendency to run. And he flashed off the WR, and made tackles. He gets a
little high in his pedal, but he has nice feet moving backwards. Who is
this guy? He looks like a 1st Round pick to me. He plays over the top of a
double like a natural FS. He can also play some shuffle technique, and
gallop back sideways watching the QB. He plays really far back so he is in
his pedal a lot. Which really helps him in the run game. Elite run
defender. He will give up the deep ball sometimes.

He can play
at different gears. When he has outside leverage, and he sees the WR isn't
breaking it off, he has a second burst to get back into position. He
recovered a fumble against Michigan, and almost had two. He can changed
direction with some quick twitch three times, and take the WR right off
his feet right when the ball arrives. He can form tackle as he tries to
defend the pass.

He can get
too physical in coverage for the NFL sometimes. He will drop back to free
safety late, and can help out on a WR deep down the middle of the field.
The deeper he goes the worse he looks. Plays the run better in traffic
than deep down field. Terrific Gunner who opponents double and even triple
team on every punt. He made the tackle on a punt return after three guys
tried to block him.

Michigan
ST: Locks in nicely on WR in Off. Great burst forward out of pedal. He
looks like a FS when he is playing CB. He is the best run stopping CB in
the Draft. Reminds me of Devin McCourty. Great feet in off coverage. He
can stay in pedal for a long time with those great feet. He has some
amazing quick twitch in coverage. He might be a CB in the NFL, but more
likely a cover safety who is vicious against the run. I love this
kid. He is all over the place. He is an elite run defender. Nice recovery. When he
makes a mistake he can loop around and get behind the WR nicely. He will
line up like a Will sometimes, like against Michigan State, and can meet
the RB in the hole and take him down quickly.

As a Senior
(2015): Totaled 50 appearances and 40 starts in career, after starting all 12 games in 2015 ... led team with 70 solo tackles and second with 88 total tackles ... ranked second in the nation with five forced fumbles, the second-most in a single season in Maryland history ... tied for team lead with three interceptions ... became first Maryland player since D’Qwell Jackson (2005) to reach 200 career solo tackles against Wisconsin (11/7) - also recorded 300th career tackle at Michigan State (11/14) ... ranked fourth in Big Ten in solo tackles/g (5.8) ... posted at least four tackles in every game in 2015 ... had five tackles, a sack and a forced fumble vs. Richmond (9/5) ... posted 14 tackles (12 solo) and forced a fumble vs. Bowling Green (9/12) ... totaled nine tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble vs. USF (9/19) ... had seven tackles at West Virginia (9/26) ... posted six tackles, forced a fumble and had a fumble recovery against #22 Michigan (10/3) ... totaled seven tackles, including 1.0 TFL, at #1 Ohio State (10/10) ... had five tackles vs. Penn State (10/24) ... totaled seven tackles (six solo) and a PBU at #10 Iowa (10/31) ... had seven tackles, including a 0.5 TFL vs. Wisconsin (11/7) ... recorded five tackles at #14 Michigan State (11/14), and returned an INT 38 yards after receiving a lateral from Anthony Nixon at the goal line ... had six tackles (all solo) against Indiana (11/21) ... led team with 11 tackles (10 solo) at Rutgers (11/28), in addition to snagging a critical second half
interception.As a Junior (2014): Started all 13 games, including a pair of starts at cornerback ... finished second on the team in tackles with 115 ... ranked fourth nationally and first in the Big Ten among defensive backs in tackles ... also posted four tackles for loss, one sack and force one fumble … is tied for fifth in the Big Ten averaging 9.0 tackles per game … tied for first on the team with eight pass breakups … has started all 12 games at either safety or cornerback … had 10 total tackles in a victory over James Madison (8/30) … recorded six tackles at USF (9/6) … notched 13 tackles against West Virginia (9/13) … totaled nine tackles and a TFL against Syracuse (9/20) … racked up four stops against Indiana (9/27) … recorded 14 tackles, including a team-high seven solo stops, against Ohio State (10/4) … notched a career-high 17 tackles against Wisconsin (10/25) … recorded a team-high 11 tackles including a TFL and three pass breakups at Penn State (11/1) making his first career start at cornerback … had eight tackles and a pass break up against Michigan State (11/15) … notched six tackles against Michigan (11/22) … had eight tackles, a sack and a forced fumble against Rutgers (11/29) ... totaled seven tackles againt Stanford (12/30) in the Foster Farms
Bowl.As a Sophomore (2013): Had a team-high 102 total tackles and averaged 7.8 per game, which ranked ninth in the ACC ... started all 13 games at the safety position ... returned an interception 21 yards against Old Dominion (9/7) ... recorded three solo stops against Connecticut (9/14) ... had six total tackles and recovered a fumble against West Virginia (9/21) ... notched a career-high 12 tackles against Florida State (10/5) ... made nine tackles against Virginia (10/12) ... recorded seven tackles, four solo, against Wake Forest (10/19) ... led the team with 11 tackles, eight solo, against Syracuse (11/9) ... had a team-high nine tackles against Virginia Tech (11/16) ... recorded nine tackles and an interception against Boston College (11/23) ... notched nine tackles and a pass breakup against NC State (11/30) ... had nine tackles against Marshall in the Military Bowl
(12/27).

The
Reason:Potential-potential-potential.
"Sean Davis as well, a very good athlete," Lake said. "From the Combine standpoint, he was a really fast defensive back. He was number two overall for all defensive backs in the three columns. He was third in the 20-yard shuttles for all defensive backs in the Combine. He had a 37-½ vertical, 21 on the bench, which was second of all defensive backs in the draft. This guy is an exceptional guy. We are excited to have him. He is a 6-1, 200 pounder. He is kind of everything you are looking for when you are talking about versatility for defensive backs. His measures will matchup with just about anybody on the board."
He has as much physical potential as anyone in this Draft.

They have
brutally denied their secondary of talent for years. That has apparently
changed. "I’m excited," Lake said. "I’ve been coaching here for six years. It’s been a long time as you know since we’ve had a first rounder [from the secondary] for the Steelers. Now in back-to-back years we’ve had two second round players. It’s coming together. It feels good."
Two straight 2nds is a good start, not the end game.

The
Reason:
I suppose, when you loose four games do
to your
kicker, you do something desperately stupid. Like trade a 3rd and 4th for a
kicker who struggles past 45-yards. "I
was very excited along with my staff and coaches about Roberto for a very
long time," Licht said. "It's not often that you go into draft
meetings or into a school visit and you come back and in fact I remember
coming back. I made a visit to Florida State along with several other
schools this year, like we always do, but came back and my wife she always
asks, 'Who did you like' And I said, 'I like this Aguayo guy.'
And she was shocked. Because I had never talked about a kicker
before." I just don't know what to say.

This
was clearly the worst pick of the Draft. "He's
the best kicker I've ever seen coming out of college," Licht said.
"So we got the extra fourth-round pick [in the trade down from No. 9
to No. 11] with plans of moving up, because I just wanted to ensure we got
him. With the importance of special teams in this league is paramount and
we talk about that all the time. So why not take who you think is the best
kicker you've ever seen just to sure that up?" Huh, because he's a kicker.

They
see him as a weapon at Kicker. "He’s
super consistent," Licht said. "He's never missed inside the 40 in
his career, which is rare. And he’s the best and most accurate kicker in
college history."
And he would have been there in the 3rd.

The Team:I had him as my Second Choice, at this pick and in
the 3rd Round (In fact, I had him as my Second Choice in three of the four
picks on Day Two, before I changed one to Prosise). That is how much I screwed up
this pick. I knew they were going to take him, and just couldn't stick him
in here for some reason.

This is one of those picks that
makes me insane. I knew they were going to take him. I just didn't want
them to take him in the 2nd in my head for some reason. I even heard they had him as a 2nd Round
value, and who else but the Pats would do that. But I just wanted the sexy
pick this year. It is one of things that make me crazy about Pats fans,
when they want the sexy pick and not the meat and potatoes picks that the
Pats always make.

BB has his Board. Where character,
leadership, smarts, toughness, versatility, and love of football means as much as all the Combine
numbers that get so glorified before the Draft, and are now irrelevant. BB
knows that the Draft is about team building. Team building is not just
about talent. It is also about building a community that has to live with each other
from July to February. Love of football is more important than arm length in a
team setting. Jones has all the qualities that BB knows he needs to have
on a
team that lives and works together dreary month after painful month. When your exhausted, annoyed, and bewildered
because you just traveled 3,000 miles to Arizona to lose a game in the heat
of the desert in September (which also proves the League is still trying
to punish the Patriots for daring to stand to them), the only thing that matters is character, and
the character of the players you drafted will come shining through.

Jones is tough, smart, physical,
versatile, and lives, eats, and breathes football. Does that sound
familiar? BB likes to draft guys who are
resilient and don't give up, so when things get tough they get tougher. That
is Jones. He will step in and play special teams next season, and might see some minutes as the Dime Corner. And when injuries strike he will step
up and play some Nickel. He also played some Safety at Alabama for Saban.
So he can step up and play some Safety as well.

With both Logan Ryan
(UFA) and Malcolm
Butler (RFA) free agents after this season, and looking to make some money, it
is very foreseeable that Jones could be a starter in 2017. "I knew they were interested but I wasn't
sure," Cyrus said. "I was just waiting patiently. I didn't want to get my hopes up too high. I obviously knew they were interested by just talking to my agents and what not, but when that pick came up I was just praying to God that they would take a chance on me and just that I'd have the opportunity to land at such a great organization. It's one of the best organizations in the whole league, possibly the best, and I couldn't be more happy with where I ended up."
I knew they were interested as well (such an idiot).

This is also a keep-the-program-together
pick. It would not be shocking of they loose Logan Ryan next year to free
agency. And if they can't work out a long term deal with Butler and he
signs his one-year RFA tender, he could be gone after the 2017 season. I
think it is as unlikely both things happen as trading your best edgerusher
for a bust and 2nd round pick. But it happens. So Roberts
and Jones could be your starting duo in two years if worst comes to worst. Though I think BB knows he will have to
spend some money on the CB position, that is why he signed so many one
years deals this off season. But he also picked up Johnathan Jones
from Auburn as an undrafted rookie free agent, and he can play. He is one
of those guys that measured less than the height requirement, but plays
tough as nails. I really like
his Tape. He is also great against the run and could be a Safety as
well.

Cyrus has underrated ball skills, especially
at Safety. "Cyrus: versatile player, played on the perimeter mostly at Alabama, was very effective punt returner, had four punt-return touchdowns his senior
season, has really good ball skills," BB said. "Really good with the ball in his hands as a
returner. Kind of has some position versatility and has additional value on fourth down."
He was bigger and faster than I
thought he would be at the Combine.

When you
start to add in everything, it makes more and more sense. "Definitely a lot of
history," Cyrus said. "Guys like Ty Law, Darrelle
Revis, great defensive backs and great players. Two of the
greatest players that ever stepped foot in the National Football League
and there's definitely a legacy behind the number, and I want to make my
own legacy with the number." He gets history. He has respect for
great players. He understands the meaning of getting #24 from the
Patriots. He just kept checking the boxes.

He comes
from the premiere college program. "You really have to go back, like the question earlier, you're kind of looking at everybody and then you really almost have to go one by one by one and look at the actual players skill set relative to what they're actually asked to do and then kind of project that a little bit in terms of what we would ask them to
do," Caserio said. "Having a lot of good players is good. Look, Coach Saban's got a great program and their track record speaks for themselves so yeah, you can never have enough good players but how good is good? Some good is better than others so you really have to spend time on,
I know that's probably a great quote, but you really have to spend time on it and look at the
individual player and what he actually does and how effectively he does it and then go from there."
No team works harder during the college season than Alabama. Players who survive
that program, come out pre-tuned to play for the Patriots.

The Patriots
philosophy is that when everything is pretty much even, it is the players
who love the game the most who are going to succeed. "Football is everything to
me," Cyrus said. "I eat, sleep, and breathe it. I couldn't
imagine doing anything else. My plan is to just come in here, be humble,
work hard from day one, earn the respect of the veterans in the locker
room, and earn the trust of my coaches. Like I said before, get out there
with any opportunity that I'm given and make the best of trying to make
this team better." And when you consider the length and the brutality
of an NFL season from July to February, if your not all about football it
is not going to work.

BB loves quickness, and Jones got himself a 6.71 in the 3-Cone
Drill. That was his best Combine measurement. He just kept checking the
boxes on the Patriots check list. "My father, he was my first role model, my first
coach," Cyrus said. "I never
actually played for him but I call him my first coach. He was the one that
instilled in me a lot of values that got me to this point. He guided me in
the right direction. He was the first one to put the ball in my hands and
introduce me to the game that I love." Respect for authority is
probably more important in the NFL than for any other sports.

Competitor?
Check. "I think my dad is very competitive but I'm a different
type of competitor than he is," Cyrus said. "He's more quiet and laid back. He was a
basketball player so obviously [he's] on the court, but on the field I'm
more intense, very highly competitive. But I'd definitely say I got my
first sense of competitiveness from my dad." An old Parcels axiom
that BB stole was the more a guy mentions his father in a team interview
the more likely he is to succeed in the NFL. For a myriad of
reasons, like: respects authority, takes to hard coaching, learned work
ethic early, etc.

He understands the defensive scheme and is a great
leader. "The meeting before Pro Day went great," Cyrus
said. "We sat in. It was me and a couple of other players. And we sat in and watched some film from my season and just pretty much talked football and the meeting went
great. But prior to that I hadn't had much contact." He is known to
obsessively watch film. Check.

They gave
him #24. "I asked Cyrus on the way down and he knew
where it was so that was a very positive upgrade," Kraft said. "The good news is Cyrus
will be wearing a special number to our family, number 24, and there's a
lot of good karma that goes with that number. The transition with the way
college ball is today to the NFL, it's a big transition, but he couldn't
have gone to a better prep school in Alabama where being athletic,
versatile - he went to Alabama as a wide receiver and converted to
cornerback. I know down there with Coach [Nick] Saban football has to be
important to you, and I know how important it is to him. We're very
excited to have him here and I was asking him if there was some connection
that we could have between the two of us, going back to when Jerod Mayo
said, 'Mayo and Kraft go well together'. He said Clamp and Kraft go well
together, and I guess Clamp Clampington is a name that your best friend
gave you. So, without any further ado it's my great pleasure to introduce
number 24, Cyrus Jones."

He played WR and RB in high
school. So when he sees the ball in
the air he can go and get the ball. Check. "Social media is one of those things where you have to control and just
discipline yourself to not pay too much attention to it," Cyrus said.
"As you get older
people, tend to stray away from social media and I'm already starting to,
at least trying to, and just being more aware of what I put out there and
knowing that I can't respond to everything that somebody says. That's
definitely something that myself and fellow rookies just have to
understand, that we have to be responsible in that aspect, that we're not
only representing ourselves but our families and this organization."
He seems wise beyond his young years. Check.

He is a super competitor, and plays with an attitude. "They're just a hungry
group," Cyrus said about the Pats. "That's what I see when I watch, and you know they're smart. They go out there and they play with a chip on their shoulder every Sunday and that's exactly how I play. I can't wait to meet those guys and just try to earn their respect."
It might take a year or two, but he will.

His height likely keeps him inside the Slot, like Kyle
Arrington. Played in a similar program as the Patriots in
college. "I think it'll be pretty similar to playing for Coach
Saban," Cyrus said. "Probably amped up a little bit more and obviously more intense and more at stake, but I think I've been prepared very well.
And I know he's a great coach and great guy and I'm just ready to get in there and work hard and earn my spot on the team."
He will earn his first minutes on special teams.

But like Arrington, he will be a spot starter and
if he shows he can handle it outside against the bigger faster guys he
could stick there. "It's just time to play football now, time to get ready to come out
here and win games," Cyrus said. "It's no more running around in tights and running,
and stuff like that. It's time to put back on the pads
and get after it. I can't wait." He is starting to sound like a
Patriot already. Check.

He
could get more playing time as a rookie than I expect. "I think it's prepared me a great
deal, playing for Coach Saban," Jones said. "He's a great coach, arguably one of the best, arguably the best in the country.
And I've heard many things that he's compared to Coach Belichick and that our program is ran similar to how the Patriots' is run. I feel as though I'm greatly prepared for the next level thanks to Coach Saban and the people I had around me for four years, just getting me ready both on and off the field."

He
did play in the SEC, and played in both of the first two years of the FBS
Playoffs. Which was five games, two SEC Champ games and three FBS Playoff
games. That is the highest and most intense level possible in college
football over the past two seasons.

So
it really is not surprising the Pats were interested in him. "I knew they were
interested," Jones said. "I wasn’t sure, I was just waiting patiently. I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high. I obviously knew they were interested, just talking to my agent and whatnot. When that pick came up, I was just praying to God that they would take a chance on me, and that I’d have an opportunity to land in such a great organization. This is one of the best organizations in the whole league, possibly the best. I couldn’t be more happy with where I ended
up." It will be interesting to see how they use him in the Preseason.
He could beat out Justin Coleman as the starting Nickel. "I played nickel a good deal in practice but Coach Saban always wanted me on the outside so that's where I predominantly was in the season," Jones said. "In games I was always pretty much trailing the top receiver for the opposite team, so they would line up on the outside the majority of the time, so that's where I'd find myself. I can definitely play nickel. It's no problem if I have to slide inside."
I think he can beat out Coleman as a rookie.

The
best news is that Malcolm Butler will be a restricted free agent and not a
pure free agent. So the Pats will not lose him next off season. They will
give him a 1st Round tender which will be about 4 Mil, but they can use
that year to give him a little more in 2017, and less on the back end of a
big deal. If he plays like he did last season, they will be looking at a
four or five year deal worth 40 to 45 Mil. That also puts pressure on the
Pats to get a deal worked out with him.
Oh, by the way, Cyrus led the Nation with four punts returns for TDs last
season. Plus, he also returned some kicks offs when injuries dictated, and
covered punts. "I returned punts in high school and I was pretty good at it," Jones said. "I just had that knack for just finding creases and being able to see where to cut at and I had good vision always. That ability just increased in college, and as I got more comfortable I started to have more success over time and I had my best year my senior year. I think, like you said, that's going to be a big way for me to get on the field early next season."
He had a spectacular season last year, and was a true shut down Corner in
the SEC:

SENIOR
(2015): Developed into one of the nation’s top punt returners in 2015 while continuing his consistent play as one of college football’s top corners … flourished as an All-SEC performer in 2014 and returned for his senior year as the Crimson Tide’s most experienced defensive back ... had two interceptions and eight pass breakups on the season to go with 37 tackles, including four tackles loss (-16 yards) ... returned 42 punts for a total of 530 yards for an average of 12.6 yards per return ... had four punt returns for touchdowns, including a 57-yard return against Michigan State, a 69-yard touchdown at Mississippi State and 43- and 72-yard returns against Charleston Southern … his four punt returns for scores is the UA all-time single-season mark ... his 530 return yards rank second all-time in Alabama single-season history ... ranked 15th nationally and fourth in the SEC in punt return average ... led the nation in punt return touchdowns with four … anchored a secondary that ranked eighth nationally and second in the SEC in pass efficiency defense … named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after the Charleston Southern game where he set the school record with two punt returns for touchdowns in the same game … named one of the special teams players of the week against Wisconsin,
ULM, at Georgia, Arkansas, at Mississippi State, versus Charleston Southern and in the Cotton Bowl against Michigan State … also a defensive player of the week by the Alabama coaches for his play against Charleston Southern and Michigan State. Wisconsin: Started for the Crimson Tide at cornerback while also returning punts ... finished the night with two pass breakups on the defensive side ... helped limit the Badger offense to just 268 yards of total offense and 17 points ... returned four punts for a total of 25 yards with a long of 18. Middle Tennessee: Notched his first interception of the season and made three solo tackles ... returned on punt for five yards. Ole Miss: Made five tackles in the contest with the Rebels.
ULM: Collected one tackle from the cornerback spot ... returned a season-high five punts for 43 yards, with a season-long of 22 yards on one of the returns. Georgia: Recorded one tackle and a pass breakup ... also returned five punts for 53 yards with a long of 23 ... helped limit a Bulldog offense that was averaging 45.5 points per game to just 10 by day’s end. Arkansas: Recorded one tackle on defense ... added three punt returns for 39 yards, including a season-high of 27 yards that he almost broke for a score. Texas A&M: Recorded three solo stops, including a tackle for a loss (-3 yards), and one pass breakup ... helped limit the Aggie offense to a season-low 23 points while forcing a season-high four interceptions. Tennessee: Collected four tackles on the day ... helped limit the Volunteer passing game to 171 total yards. LSU: Finished with one tackle as the Tide defensive front limited the Tigers’ ability to pass ... helped limit Brandon Harris to 128 yards passing and only six completions. Mississippi State: Made four tackles on defense with two pass breakups … returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown, the first of his career ... his return in the second quarter was the Crimson Tide’s first score of the day and sparked a 14-0 run after being shut out in the first quarter. Charleston Southern: SEC Special Teams Player of the Week … first player in Alabama history to return two punts for touchdowns in the same game and the first to have three in two games … totaled 115 punt return yards on two returns … also made a career-high three tackles for loss. Auburn: Recorded two solo tackles and broke up a pass in the Crimson Tide’s 29-13 win on the Plains … helped limit the Tigers to 169 yards passing and just 260 total yards. Florida: Helped limit the Gators to just 15 yards rushing and 180 total yards … had one tackle as the Tide only allowed Florida to complete only 37.5 percent of its passes … returned a career-high seven punts for 32 yards with a long of 15 yards … also brought back one kickoff for 24 yards. Michigan State: Named Defensive MVP of the Cotton Bowl ... finished with three tackles and one interception which he returned for 21 yards ... his interception helped end an MSU scoring chance, as the Spartans were driving at the end of the first half before Jones’ pick on the goal line stopped the threat ... also added five punt returns for 80 yards with one returned for a touchdown ... his 57-yard return for a score was his fourth of the season to give him the Alabama all-time mark for punt returns in a single season, eclipsing the previous total of three that was shared by David Palmer (1991) and Javier Arenas (2008). Clemson: Made five tackles and broke up a pass in the Crimson Tide’s 45-40 win over the Tigers to secure the program’s 16th national title ... also returned one punt for 12
yards.

The
Reason:One
of your 12 starters on defense is your Nickel corner. He
plays with some attitude, and you can see he spent a lot of time in the weight
room. "I think I just bring a versatile playmaker, a competitor, a smart
player, and a team-first guy always," Cyrus said. "I just want to do anything that I can
to help this team win games and get another Super Bowl." He might be a little short, but he is not
small.

He played WR
and RB for most of his life. "Coach Saban, you know, we were losing a couple of defensive backs after my freshman year and coach knew that I could play DB,"
Cyrus said. "And he asked me, would I be willing to try it out for the spring time. I bought in and I just wanted to help the team in any way possible and it worked out for me and the
team." He has been
coached by one of the best college HC's in FBS history.

Saban also
runs the toughest program in the FBS. "Before I came here and going through the draft process and also
knowing Coach Saban and Coach Belichick's relationship, and Coach
Saban having coached under him prior to going to Alabama," Cyrus
said. "I knew there
were similarities. Our program is based a lot on what they do here so I
was expecting it to be a program based on discipline and principles
similar to that, and just hard working, blue-collar type of atmosphere so
I was excited for it." Saban doesn't take excuses from anybody, just
like Belichick.

Saban is
like Belichick. He has his system and he runs it, and you damn well better
be tough to get through it. "I think it's motivation," Cyrus
said. "Any time I hear somebody say I can't do
something, or I hear any type of negativity towards my game, or anybody
doubting me it just motivates me to go out there and prove them wrong and
let my play do the talking on the field. It elevates me to another level I
think, and anytime you can use negativity from the outside as also your
internal self-motivation, it only can make you better." He didn't
just survive in Saban system, he thrived. Playing at four different
positions during his career.

Saban finds
players who fit his system and plugs and plays them, just like
Belichick. "I haven't actually talked to him yet," Cyrus
said when asked about Hightower. "I just asked somebody where he
was but I'm pretty sure he'll tell me the same things that I've already
been hearing. Just the similarities from Alabama and it just being that
type of environment where you've just got to come in, earn the respect of
the veterans in the locker room, just do your job, and wait for your
number to be called." He is probably going to have to wait longer
than he thinks.

The Team:
They started off Day Two getting a top Cover Corner for a team that had
the worst depth at CB in the NFL last season. "We kicked the night off there with Cyrus," Caserio
said. "The first pick there at 60. Kind of had both of those picks actually
back-to-back. So we were actually in the process, prepared to pick two players at that time."
But as they were picking Cyrus, the phone rang.

They Pats did a great job trading down out of the second 2nd, and dropped 17
picks. They picked up the 4th the Ass Monkey stole from them in this years
Draft. "As we were making the Cyrus pick, we were actually on the phone and consummated the trade with New
Orleans," Caserio said. " We were able to move back there and gain a
4th round [pick], which gives us an extra pick. Now we have eight picks tomorrow. We'll see how that goes." So
they picked up pick 112, and got the guy (Thuney) they would have taken
here at pick 61 anyway.

They used
pick 112 on Malcolm Mitchell. "We'll be back at it tomorrow morning and we'll kind of chip away
here," Caserio said. " We have the pick right now pick in the
4th round. I can't right now really remember the number, but we're scheduled to pick in the
4th round right now and we have the end of the draft covered there with the five
6th-round picks, three of which we have to pick. We couldn't trade those even if we wanted to. And then the two
7th round picks. So we'll see how it goes." So they got Joe Thuney
and Malcolm Mitchell from the Saints, for Joe Thuney. I love when things
work out that way.

It went very
well trade wise for Caserio in this Draft, as they pulled off two more
trades to ditch more Draft picks that they can't possible keep on their
roster. They combined two late Day Three trades to ditch some more picks,
and turned them into the 4th that the Ass Monkey stole from them in the
2017 NFL Draft,
in a stunningly great move. They gave up three late picks (Picks 196, 204, and
250) to Miami for their 5th (147). And apparently Seattle called while
they were on the phone with Miami, and they promptly traded 147 and a 7th
to the Seahawks for the 'Hawks 4th Round
pick in 2017 and Damien Lucien, to give the Ass Monkey another roll of TP to rub his butt
on. Getting a 4th for a couple of useless 6ths and a 7th is a steal. Sticking it to the Ass
Monkey again, priceless.

So they
ditched the two 6th Round picks that they could legally trade, but still
had to use the three Compensatory picks in the 6th on two special teams
guys, and an OL who can't possibly find a spot on the roster if he is healthy.
"Alright, well we finished out the day here today primarily with those [compensatory] picks at the
end," BB said. "I think we added some players that hopefully will be competitive on the team. I look forward to working with them. Our staff, Nick
did a good job, and his staff did a real good job of researching everything, finding a lot of information, just scrambling around here at the end on some free agents that weren't drafted. I thought we had a good process. The scouts worked hard. We got a lot of information so hopefully we have some players that can help our team and we'll give them an opportunity and see how it goes."
I'm not sure Thuney can make this team. So don't expect any of these 6th
and 7th rounders to make the team.

Although I
really like Lucien and think he might actually have a shot, despite the
reality of the NFL roster limitations. He reminds me of David Givens.
Another 7th round pick with the great strong hands for catching the ball,
and both are a tick under 6-foot and 200-pounds. Plus neither had elite
speed, but had that knack for getting open and making the catch through
contact.

At least
they picked up some guys on Day Two who can play, and maybe be stashed for
a year. And a back up QB, for the back up QB, who will have to play to
start the season. Even though the back up QB to the backup QB is not an
NFL talent. "Nice of everybody to stick around. Appreciate you
guys," Caserio said in a way that can only be taken as funny. "I'm sure you guys will be up late. It was a busy day for us, pretty exciting. [We] added four players to the team that we feel will come in and hopefully be able to fill some roles regardless of what they're asked to do."
So as expected, after the robbery of picks by the Ass Monkey and the free
agency explosion, the Draft was predictably lacking in impact
players.

All these
complaints about the Pats Draft are just dumb. Drafts are about the next
four years, not this year. When you load up on the roster with say 10-11
impact veterans in free agency, you cannot expect a gaggle of rookies to
make the team. "I think that puts, right now, we're actually at 80 players on the roster, just if you include the players we
drafted [in Day Two]," Caserio said. "Somewhere along the line, something's going to have to give. We're going to have to give some picks up or, you know, you have 90 players you can actually have on your roster at one time, so we're going to have to see how it all fits together. So, that's kind of where we are for the time being."
There is no room for all the players they picked on their roster. Now
there will be injuries, troubles, and problems. Which is the only way most
of these rookies can make the team.

The impact
players from the Draft are going to be from last year's Draft. Players
like Richards, Grissom, and my man Flowers. If Cyrus Jones steps up and
wins the Nickel role, that is a huge bonus. If Malcolm Mitchell makes the
team as a kick returner that is a surprising development, and I'm a big
fan of that pick (please note that we signed two veteran WRs, including
one who played in a Patriots system in Houston, and Amendola. And one of
the best receiving TEs in the NFL). When the the Pats O-line was healthy
last season they were the best offense in the NFL. I think both Mitchell
and Lucien are NFL talents, but how do they make this roster?
Complications from knee surgery? Pup-it?

One of the reasons
a player like Valentine was taken is that they can put him on the PUP, and
have an easier time stashing him next year. " I mean, you try to do the best that you can just managing the
numbers," Caserio said. "Let's say you have extra picks and even if you're trying to get rid of them and somebody doesn't want them, then there's nothing really you can do about it. If you pick the player then there's going to have to be an offset somewhere.
So if we end up picking, let's just say right now we're at 80 and we pick eight we're at 88 so it leaves us a certain degree of wiggle room. We can still sign some players after the draft
potentially. Assuming that we keep all of these picks, there might be a trickle-down effect.
Where we've added X amount of players, and maybe we look at the current roster as constructed.
And maybe we decide we're going to make a one-for-one swap here. So I think once we get through tomorrow we'll kind of have a better sense of where we are numbers wise.
Because technically you can have some extra players until the drafted rookies are technically under contract. So you can maneuver some things around but we'll certainly make sure we're in compliance with everything.
But we'll do the best we can and just try to manage the numbers the best that we can."
They might love-love-love Valentine, but with the signing of three jumbo
DTs, where exactly does he fit? IR? PUP-it? Cut to make an example out of
him to scare the other rookies, if he doesn't bust his ass?

They crushed
it this offseason by signing interesting veterans to short term deals.
That is a positive thing for this season, but certainly not for these
draft picks. It only works for the Draft picks if they can
stash-stash-stash them. So they need to get injured early and often with
the Hellenic flu in Foxboro. It would not be shocking if a Day Three pick
did not make the active roster. Malcolm Mitchell is an NFL player, with a
bum knee. Maybe he can PUP-it, but after they loaded up on veteran WRs,
where in the hell does he fit on the roster? It's a mystery to me.
They have to keep Brissett if they can't free Brady. But otherwise he is
gone. There is only so many roster spots on a veteran team that should
have won the Super Bowl last year, if not for injuries, and most of those
spots where filled with players returning from injuries and free agents.
It is what it is. So they better start PUPing-it.

The
Team:I
had this pick. This was my third hit in the 2nd Round, which is the best
I've ever done. You can't improve on perfection:

They
need D. "I think we’re always trying to add good players,"
Loomis said. "We like the guys we have. We have some young guys back there. We have Keenan (Lewis) coming off the injury, but he’s been a good player for us in the past and we expect a lot of things from him. Obviously we are real surprised by Delvin (Breaux) and the performance he had, so we are looking for him to build on that and we have some young guys as I said. I don't think we view that as a critical need and yet there’s an opportunity to get a really good player, so we took a shot."
They need a Safety who can bring this secondary together.

The
Player:Vonn
might be the best cover safety in this Draft. He wasn't the signal caller
in the secondary, but he did step up into the Slot and cover WRs.
Great
hitter on the sideline in coverage. When a WR catch it on the sideline he
can really line him up. Bell looked bigger to start the season against
V-Tech. He could get himself into the 2nd Round with a great junior
season. He can hit the WR out of bounds on a sideline pattern. Great
hitter. He can come off of man coverage, turn, and take out the deep
receiver going down the seam. Great in coverage. He can step into the Slot
and cover the slot guy like a CB. He might be the best cover safety in
this Draft. He stepped into the slot to cover the 3rd WR a
lot last season. This really increased his value. If you have a Safety who
can play Cover One, and also step up into the Slot and cover the slot-WR,
you can stay in your base defense more. You can keep your bigger and
better players on the field to stuff the run, and blitz from different
angles. TMIWTMIL. He and Darian Thompson are the two top Safeties in this
Draft.

The
Reason: When fantasy geeks are making money going against your defense
every week it is time for a defense heavy Draft. Consistently one of the
worst defenses every week last season.